Apparatus and method for identifying and charging batteries of different types

Abstract

An apparatus for charging batteries of different types is disclosed as including support means for receiving a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, a battery interface for electrically coupling the battery charging apparatus to the received battery, and a circuit for identifying the particular type of the received battery and supplying a charging current to the received battery in accordance with a specified charging algorithm applicable to the particular battery type. The battery interface includes a positive contact positioned within the support means so as to engage the positive terminal of the received battery, a negative contact positioned within the support means so as to engage the negative terminal of the received battery, and at least one sensing contact positioned within the support means which senses a voltage from the received battery indicative of a particular battery type. The circuit identifies the particular battery type by whether or not the sensing contact is engaged by one of the battery terminals, by whether the voltage sensed by the sensing contact is substantially equivalent or not to a voltage received by one of the battery terminals, by whether the voltage sensed by the sensing contact creates a high or low logic level in the circuit, or by which combination of logic pins is engaged by the battery terminals.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for charging batteries of different types, comprising: (a) a support for receiving a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;   (b) a battery interface for electrically coupling said battery charging apparatus to said received battery, further comprising: (1) a positive contact positioned within said support so as to engage said positive terminal of said received battery;   (2) a negative contact positioned within said support so as to engage said negative terminal of said received battery; and   (3) at least one sensing contact positioned within said support; and     (c) a circuit for identifying the particular type of said received battery by whether said positive terminal of said received battery contacts said sensing contact in addition to said positive contact and supplying a charging current to said received battery in accordance with a specified charging algorithm applicable to the particular battery type identified.   
     
     
       2. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the particular type of said received battery is among a group consisting of nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, and lithium. 
     
     
       3. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sensing contact senses a voltage from said received battery and said circuit identifies the particular type of said received battery by whether said sensed voltage is substantially equivalent to a voltage received by said positive contact. 
     
     
       4. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, said battery interface comprising more than one positive contact. 
     
     
       5. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the maximum number of battery types which can be identified by said circuit is a function of the number of sensing contacts as a power of two. 
     
     
       6. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, said received battery having a voltage in the range of approximately three to approximately four volts. 
     
     
       7. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, said circuit providing a direct charge path between a current source and said received battery. 
     
     
       8. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, said circuit further comprising: (a) a current source connected to said negative contact and said sensing contact; and   (b) a switching device positioned between said current source and said sensing contact.   
     
     
       9. The battery charging apparatus of claim 8, said circuit further comprising a microcomputer containing said charging algorithms, wherein said charging algorithms control the opening and closing of said switching device. 
     
     
       10. The battery charging apparatus of claim 9, said circuit further comprising a voltage regulator positioned between said positive contact and said microcomputer. 
     
     
       11. The battery charging apparatus of claim 8, said circuit further comprising a load positioned between said switching device and said sensing contact, wherein a first voltage is defined upstream of said load and a second voltage is defined downstream of said load, said charging current being a function of the difference between said first and second voltages. 
     
     
       12. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said battery charging apparatus is incorporated into a handheld mobile telephone. 
     
     
       13. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said battery charging apparatus is incorporated into a battery charger accessory. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 1, said support means being configured to receive only batteries of substantially similar size and shape. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus for charging batteries of different types, comprising: (a) a support for receiving a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;   (b) a battery interface for electrically coupling said battery charging apparatus to said received battery, further comprising: (1) a positive contact positioned within said support so as to engage said positive terminal of said received battery;   (2) a negative contact positioned within said support so as to engage said negative terminal of said received battery; and   (3) at least one sensing contact positioned within said support; and     (c) a circuit for identifying the particular battery type by whether said negative terminal of said received battery contacts said sensing contact in addition to said negative contact and supplying a charging current to said received battery in accordance with a specified charging algorithm applicable to the particular battery type identified.   
     
     
       16. The battery charging apparatus of claim 15, wherein said sensing contact senses a voltage from said received battery and said circuit identifies the particular type of said received battery by whether said sensed voltage is substantially equivalent to a voltage received by said negative contact. 
     
     
       17. The battery charging apparatus of claim 15, said circuit further comprising: (a) a current source connected to said negative contact and said positive contact; and   (b) a switching device positioned between said current source and said positive contact.   
     
     
       18. The battery charging apparatus of claim 17, said circuit further comprising a microcomputer containing said charging algorithms, wherein said charging algorithms control the opening and closing of said switching device. 
     
     
       19. The battery charging apparatus of claim 18, said circuit further comprising a voltage regulator positioned between said positive contact and said microcomputer. 
     
     
       20. The battery charging apparatus of claim 17, said circuit further comprising a load positioned between said switching device and said positive contact, wherein a first voltage is defined upstream of said load and a second voltage is defined downstream of said load, said charging current being a function of the difference between said first and second voltages. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus for charging batteries of different types, comprising: (a) a support for receiving a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;   (b) a battery interface for electrically coupling said battery charging apparatus to said received battery, further comprising: (1) a positive contact positioned within said support so as to engage said positive terminal of said received battery;   (2) a negative contact positioned within said support so as to engage said negative terminal of said received battery; and   (3) at least one logic pin located within said support adjacent said positive and negative contacts; and     (c) a logic circuit for identifying the particular type of said received battery from each logic pin engaged by said received battery and supplying a charging current to said received battery in accordance with a specified charging algorithm applicable to the particular battery type identified.   
     
     
       22. The battery charging apparatus of claim 21, each of said logic pins having a resistor connected thereto to form a digital-to-analog ladder, wherein said logic circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter connected to said resistor ladder at an input so as to determine the particular battery type from said resistor ladder. 
     
     
       23. A battery pack for a handheld mobile telephone, comprising: (a) a housing;   (b) a battery positioned within said housing; and   (c) an interface for electrically coupling said battery to a battery interface in said handheld mobile telephone having a positive contact, a negative contact, and a sensing contact, said interface further comprising: (1) a positive terminal connected to said battery at a first end; and   (2) a negative terminal connected to said battery at a second end;      wherein the type of battery positioned within said housing is distinguished by means of the size and location of at least one of said positive and negative terminals.   
     
     
       24. The battery pack of claim 23, wherein said positive terminal engages said sensing contact in addition to said positive contact. 
     
     
       25. The battery pack of claim 24, wherein a voltage sent to said sensing contact from said positive terminal creates a high logic level in said handheld mobile telephone. 
     
     
       26. The battery pack of claim 23, wherein said positive terminal engages only said positive contact. 
     
     
       27. The battery pack of claim 26, wherein the lack of a voltage being sent to said sensing contact from said positive terminal creates a low logic level in said handheld mobile telephone. 
     
     
       28. The battery pack of claim 23, wherein said negative terminal engages said sensing contact in addition to said negative contact. 
     
     
       29. The battery pack of claim 23, wherein said negative terminal engages only said negative contact. 
     
     
       30. The battery pack of claim 23, wherein said battery has a voltage in the range of approximately three to approximately four volts. 
     
     
       31. The battery pack of claim 23, further comprising a fuse positioned between said battery second end and said negative terminal. 
     
     
       32. The battery pack of claim 31, further comprising a protection circuit located between said fuse and said negative terminal to prevent said battery from exceeding a specified temperature and voltage. 
     
     
       33. The battery pack of claim 23, said interface further comprising a charging terminal. 
     
     
       34. The battery pack of claim 33, further comprising a charge safety circuit positioned between said charging terminal and said battery first end. 
     
     
       35. The battery pack of claim 23, further comprising a voltage protection circuit positioned between said positive terminal and said battery first end. 
     
     
       36. The battery pack of claim 35, further comprising a charge safety circuit positioned between said positive terminal and said battery first end, wherein said charge safety circuit and said voltage safety circuit are connected in parallel. 
     
     
       37. The battery pack of claim 23, wherein said battery is rechargeable. 
     
     
       38. The battery pack of claim 37, wherein said battery is among a group comprised of nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, and lithium. 
     
     
       39. A handheld mobile telephone, comprising: (a) a main housing;   (b) a signal processing circuit located within said main housing for operating said handheld mobile telephone in a particular mode of communication;   (c) a battery pack attached to said main housing for powering said handheld mobile telephone, said battery pack including a positive terminal and a negative terminal;   (d) an interface for electrically coupling said battery pack with said signal processing circuit, said interface including: (1) a positive contact positioned so as to engage said positive terminal of said battery pack;   (2) a negative contact positioned so as to engage said negative terminal of said battery pack; and   (3) at least one sensing contact; and     (e) circuitry associated with said signal processing circuit for identifying the particular type of battery in said battery pack from whether said positive and/or negative terminal of said battery pack engages said sensing contact in addition to said positive and negative contacts, respectively.   
     
     
       40. The handheld mobile telephone of claim 39, further comprising circuitry associated with said signal processing circuit for charging said battery pack in accordance with a particular charging algorithm applicable to the electrical characteristics of said identified type of battery in said battery pack. 
     
     
       41. A method of charging different types of batteries in an apparatus according to a charging algorithm applicable thereto, said method comprising the following steps: (a) providing each battery with an interface having a positive terminal and a negative terminal sized and positioned so as to be indicative of the particular battery type;   (b) electrically coupling said battery interface to said apparatus;   (c) determining whether one of said positive and negative terminals engages a sensing contact in addition to its respective contact on said apparatus;   (d) identifying the particular type of said battery from the engagement of said sensing contact by said positive and negative terminals; and   (e) supplying a charging current to said battery in accordance with a charging algorithm applicable to the particular type of said battery identified.   
     
     
       42. The method of claim 41, wherein the size of one of said positive and negative terminals is indicative of the particular battery type. 
     
     
       43. The method of claim 42, wherein each of said batteries is substantially the same size and shape other than said positive and negative terminals thereof. 
     
     
       44. A method of charging different types of batteries in an apparatus according to a charging algorithm applicable thereto, said method comprising the following steps: (a) providing each battery with an interface having a positive terminal and a negative terminal sized and positioned so as to be indicative of the particular battery type;   (b) electrically coupling said battery interface to said apparatus;   (c) determining which logic pins located on said apparatus are engaged by said positive and negative terminals in addition to its respective contact on said apparatus;   (d) identifying the particular type of said battery from the combination of logic pins engaged by said positive and negative terminals of said battery; and   (e) supplying a charging current to said battery in accordance with a charging algorithm applicable to the particular type of said battery identified.   
     
     
       45. An apparatus for identifying batteries of different types, comprising: (a) a positive contact positioned so as to engage a positive terminal of a battery;   (b) a negative contact positioned so as to engage a negative terminal of said battery;   (c) at least one sensing contact; and   (d) a microcomputer connected to said positive, negative, and sensing contacts, wherein said microcomputer identifies the particular type of said battery by whether a voltage received by said sensing contact is substantially equivalent to a voltage received by one of said positive and negative contacts.   
     
     
       46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the particular type of said battery is among a group consisting of nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, and lithium. 
     
     
       47. The apparatus of claim 45, said microcomputer identifying the particular type of said battery by a logic level created by said voltage received at said sensing contact. 
     
     
       48. A method of identifying different types of batteries, comprising the following steps: (a) providing each battery with an interface including a positive terminal and a negative terminal;   (b) electrically coupling said battery interface to a microcomputer by means of a positive contact, a negative contact, and a sensing contact;   (c) sensing a voltage received by said sensing contact from said battery interface; and   (d) identifying the particular type of said battery from whether the voltage received by said sensing contact is substantially equivalent to a voltage received by one of said positive and negative contacts.   
     
     
       49. The method of claim 48, said identifying step further comprising determining whether said specified voltage creates a high or low logic level in said microcomputer.